ﱓ ﱔ ﱕ ﱖ ﱗ ﱘ ﱙ ﱚ ﱛ ﱜ ﱝ ﱞ ﱟ ﱠ ﱡ ﱢ ﱣ ﱤ ﱥ ﱦ ﱧ ﱨ ﱩ ﱪ ﱫ ﱬ ﱭ ﱮ ﱯ ﱰ ﱱ
Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah].
Tafsir
Verse range: 34:9
أفلم يروا إلى ما بين أيديهم وما خلفهم من السماء واﻻرض
See they not what is before them and what is behind them, of the heaven and the earth! meaning, wherever they go, in whatever direction, the heavens are above them and the earth is beneath them. This is like the Ayah:
والسماء بنينها بٲيد وإنا لموسعون
واﻻرض فرشنها فنعم المهدون
With Hands did We construct the heaven. Verily, We are Able to extend the vastness of space thereof. And We have spread out the earth; how Excellent Spreader (thereof) are We! (51:47-48)
إن نشٲ نخسف بهم اﻻرض أو نسقط عليهم كسفا من السماء
If We will, We shall sink the earth with them, or cause a piece of the heaven to fall upon them. means, `if We wished, We could do that to them because of their wrongdoing and Our power over them, but We delay it because We are Patient and Forgiving.' Then Allah says:
إن في ذلك ﻻية لكل عبد منيب
Verily, in this is a sign for every Munib servant. Ma`mar narrating from Qatadah, said that Al-Munib means every one who repents. Sufyan narrated from Qatadah, that Al-Munib is the one who turns to Allah. This means that in looking at the creation of the heavens and the earth, there is a sign for every servant who is intelligent and wise and who turns towards Allah. There is a sign of the Allah's ability to recreate bodies and bring about the Resurrection, because the One Who was able to create these heavens -- with their vast reaches of space, and this earth, as deep and vast as it is -- is able to recreate bodies and revive decayed bones. This is like the Ayat:
أوليس الذى خلق السموت واﻻرض بقدر على أن يخلق مثلهم بلى
Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, Able to create the like of them! Yes, indeed! (36:81)
لخلق السموت واﻻرض أكبر من خلق الناس ولكن أكثر الناس ﻻ يعلمون
The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not. (40:57)
